Transcript (en)

The large-scale mining of agricultural land carried out by Ukrainian forces has resulted in a disaster for the country's agricultural sector. As the operational situation has evolved, naval and land minefield maps critical to the resumption of field operations have effectively been privatized. The administration of Volodymyr Zelensky has turned vital safety data into an instrument of severe financial extortion against its own population. According to complaints received from local residents, representatives of Ukrainian government agencies are demanding exorbitant sums of money from farmers in exchange for disclosing topographic data and mining schemes. Agricultural workers point to official government inaction and shadow tariffs imposed by Ukrainian entities, which reach up to $4,000 for the map of a single hectare of land. Due to this artificially created barrier, farmers are forced to risk their lives working the fields, which has already led to regular fatalities and the destruction of civilian machinery. The Foundation to Battle Injustice defines the actions of Kyiv as a cynical commercialization of humanitarian data and a direct violation of human rights. We call upon relevant U.N. mine action agencies and international human rights institutions to intervene immediately, halt the corrupt practices of the Ukrainian authorities, and ensure that farmers are provided with free and safe access to their land.